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The Hustler

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Stranger in a Strange Land

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Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal

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Objectivism: The Philosophy of Ayn Rand

This brilliantly conceived book is based on a lecture course given by Dr. Leonard Peikoff in 1976 entitled, "The Philosophy of Objectivism". The lectures were attended by Ayn Rand, who helped prepare them and who also joined Peikoff in answering questions.

We the Living

We the Living portrays the impact of the Russian Revolution on three people who demand the right to live their own lives. At its center is a girl whose passionate love is her fortress against the cruelty and oppression of a totalitarian state. Rand said of this book: "It is as near to an autobiography as I will ever write."

Anthem

Ayn Rand’s dystopic science fiction novella takes place at some unspecified future date. Mankind has entered another dark age as a result of what Rand saw as the weaknesses of socialistic thinking and economics. Technological advancement is now carefully planned -- when it is allowed to occur at all -- and the concept of individuality has been eliminated.

The Virtue of Selfishness

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Rework

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Return of the Primitive: The Anti-Industrial Revolution

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Call Me Ted

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The Only Investment Guide You'll Ever Need

For nearly 40 years, The Only Investment Guide You'll Ever Need has been a favorite finance guide, earning the allegiance of more than a million investors across America. This completely updated edition will show you how to use your money to your best advantage in today's financial marketplace, no matter what your means. Using concise, witty, and truly understandable tips and explanations, Andrew Tobias delivers sensible advice and useful information on savings, investments, preparing for retirement, and much more.

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Brave New World

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1984: New Classic Edition

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For the New Intellectual

This is Ayn Rand's challenge to the prevalent philosophical doctrines of our time and the "atmosphere of guilt, of panic, of despair, of boredom, and of all-pervasive evasion" that they create. One of the most controversial figures on the intellectual scene, Ayn Rand was the proponent of a moral philosophy, an ethic of rational self-interest, that stands in sharp opposition to the ethics of altruism and self-sacrifice.

Animal Farm

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The Romantic Manifesto: A Philosophy of Literature

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Fahrenheit 451

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Philosophy: Who Needs It

Who needs philosophy? Ayn Rand's answer: Everyone. This collection of essays was the last work planned by Ayn Rand before her death in 1982. In it, she summarizes her view of philosophy and deals with a broad spectrum of topics. According to Ayn Rand, the choice we make is not whether to have a philosophy, but which one to have: a rational, conscious, and therefore practical one, or a contradictory, unidentified, and ultimately lethal one.

War and Peace

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Publisher's Summary

One of the 20th century's most challenging novels of ideas, The Fountainhead champions the cause of individualism through the story of a gifted young architect who defies the tyranny of conventional public opinion. The struggle for personal integrity in a world that values conformity above creativity is powerfully illustrated through three characters: Howard Roarke, the genius who is resented because he creates purely for the delight of his own work and on no other terms; Gail Wynand, the newspaper mogul and self-made millionaire whose power was bought by sacrificing his ideals to the lowest common denominator of public taste; and Dominique Francon, the devastating beauty whose desperate search for meaning has been twisted, through despair, into a quest to destroy the single object of her desire: Howard Roarke. Dramatic, poetic, and demanding, The Fountainhead remains one of the towering books on the contemporary intellectual scene.

This was my first brush against anything Ayn Rand ever did, and it was fantastic. Much of the enjoyment came not only from the elements of the story itself, but from the narrator; he is no Christopher Lee, but the particular voicing of so many various characters was brilliant. Whether it was the slyly pompous Ellsworth Toohey, the ever-stoic Howard Roark, the sad Dominique, or the brash Gail Wynand, hearing their dialogue spoken with such talent was the extra treat to the what they represented within the story itself. If you're looking for a story that transcends mere political philosophy with a philosophy of humanity, one that makes one think and enjoy at the same time, then I highly recommend this particular audio book.

My 19 year old son is a great Ayn Rand fan and has read all her books, and I could tell he was influenced by her thinking and wanted to discuss it. I was never going to get the time to read the books. So I tested the waters with Anthem- a good, quick listen, and knew I wanted more. The Unabridged version of The Fountainhead seemed so daunting, but I took the chance and 32 hours later am glad I did! I echo the other reviewers in the riveting interest in the book and would encourage anyone interested in modern thought to go for the whole thing! Today I download Atlas Shrugged... Unabridged!

One of the best narration's, if not the best that I've heard. Apparently, Christopher Hurt is very familiar with the book and captures the tone and attitude of the characters perfectly.
On top of that, Ayn Rand presents her philosophy incredibly effectively in the story. This makes for much better comprehension when you have the characters to exemplify the spectrum of attitudes towards life that exist around us. I personally saw pieces of myself in most of the characters and it has helped me recognize when I am thinking independently and truthfully, and conversely, when collective thought dominates my mind. A very good read for those trying to approach life in a pro-active, self-motivated, and independently chosen way.

Compared to Atlas Shrugged, The Fountainhead lacks the captivating storyline that drags one through the pages. Nevertheless, each character had profiles that had me stressing to find real world analogs. I found Roark's court speech to be a condensed and less dramatic summary of all the monologues from Atlas.

This is one of the best fictional books I have ever read. Ayn Rand talks about individualism in a beautiful crafted fictional story. The main characters are so different from each other that Rand has dedicated every part of the book to their origin, beliefs and personality. You get to understand where every one of them comes from and their reasons for their decisions. Howard Roark is an emblem for creative minds and an individual who would stand for his own beliefs. Rand uses architecture as a profession to describe her objectivist theory but you'd see in every and specially your own profession so many times in the book. Great listen. And I would definitely recommend this book more than Atlas Shrugged, reasons for which I have already reviewed in that audiobook's section.

EVEN IF HE DOES TALK LIKE A TRUCK DRIVERThere are some interesting characters. I learned more about architecture then I though I ever wanted and there was some weird sex. After long stretches of nothing or gossip or philosophy something interesting could happen. The main character stands for what he believes in and will not back down.

THERE ARE THINGS IN LIFE THAT MUST BE DESTROYED OR THEY WILL DESTROY US.Like the main character, I must write what I believe. I must not let the common egghead influence my thinking. Howard Roarke is a Vulcan. This 32 hour diatribe is a thinly masked attempt to turn us all into mind numb robots. Who wants to admit that they listen to 32 hours of boring tripe. If you listened that long, you must convince others that it is great literature. It has happened before. Look at Moby Dick. I was able to break out of the trance after 14 hours. Friends don't let friends read Ayn Rand.

Before Audible, there was Books on Tape. If you have listened to Books on Tape, then you will probably remember Christopher Hurt. His smooth narration will take you back, will soothe your nerves, will help you fall into the trap.STOP!!!!!

I recently discovered Ayn Rand recently, and listened to Atlas Shrugged, and it was the best book I have read or listened to. I read Fountainhead next not expecting it to be anything as good as Atlas, but it was just about as great. It's different but similar, a little quieter but just as thought provoking. Such a range of characters. Is it coincident between the two books, the two main ladies have a name that start with D, and the two main men have the initials HR?

There are books that should be read simply because they're important. Having read Atlas Shrugged, I had high expectations for Fountainhead. This exceeded them by leaps and bounds. Brilliant wordsmithing, exceptional characters, gripping story development are all brought together with great narration.

This book was on my bucket list. I didn't think I'd like it because it is currently popular with conservative wingnuts who do not share my political views. To my suprise, it seems to be more about rugged individualism than politics. The protagonists have a Hemmingway flavor, i.e., marching to their own tune. The plot moves well. And, contrary to what some critics say, the prose style is succinct and colorful. I heartily recommend this novel whether you are a righty or lefty. The price is right, too.

Would you consider the audio edition of The Fountainhead to be better than the print version?

The audio edition was brilliantly read by Christopher Hurt who added a hidden depth to each character, something which I didn't get with the printed edition.

Who was your favorite character and why?

My favorite character has to be Howard Roark, as the main focus of the Fountainhead you follow his story. The story of Roark's life is one that won't only entertain you, make you feel the same emotions as Roark in the story but teach you about objectivist philosophy and how a purely objectivist man would live their life.

What does Christopher Hurt bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

Christopher Hurt applies a level of depth to the characters which I didn't get in the book, emoting each speech which gives you the ability to feel more for the story and what is going on. Whilst keeping the story alive, Christopher allows you to keep fully immersed in the story without feeling like your being read too.

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

My emotional response to the book was one of sympathy, sympathy to the reality of today's society and the one that is described in the book. Unfortunately Rand's second-hander society is one I see around me everyday.

5 of 5 people found this review helpful

Piotr

2/26/17

Overall

Performance

Story

"Idealists, all creators and designers must read."

Difficult to compare, as different, but for me just behind Atlas Shrugged. Love, Ideas, Story.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Clare

12/10/15

Overall

Performance

Story

"challenging and thought provoking"

this classic doesn't disappoint - i loved the characters and found it very thought provoking even though I didn't agree with all the ideas it promotes. Would recommend to any thinking person.

1 of 2 people found this review helpful

portia

11/16/15

Overall

Performance

Story

"Exceptional"

What an exceptionally thrilling story! I enjoyed the different characters, my favourites being Roricke and Dominique of course.

Applause to the narrator! Magnificent storytelling!

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Brian

4/27/15

Overall

Performance

Story

"Surprisingly exceptionally."

A real treat. The characters quickly come alive, some will frustrate you, some you'll love, others you'll hate and truly wish a great tragedy befalls them in the next paragraph or perhaps the next. Desperately your mind will try impose a reason for the relationship and later character assassination of Rourke.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

SMFire

3/23/15

Overall

Performance

Story

"Great underlying concept but a bit stretched out"

The book is well written and talks about individualism as being of utmost performance. The story line is pretty good in trying to make this point. The first half of the book can be very depressing at times though. Also, there are large portions of the book where the presence of the protagonist is really missed. Overall it is a good read. I would recommend the abridged one to people short on time.

1 of 2 people found this review helpful

Russell

Leeds, United Kingdom

3/6/13

Overall

"Its no Atlas shrugged"

Ayn Rand is so good at showing the dangers of central control that it actually hurts to write bad things about her books.

This is about one mans struggle to make his mark in the world and will make no compromise whatsoever. People will see it his way or not at all and the book is one depressing fall after another until he achieves his ambition.

It represents her philosophy of objectivism that is an acquired taste to say the least but it’s an interesting subject.

It’s nowhere near as good as ‘Atlas Shrugged’, which you must listen too.

The problem I have with Rand is her characters; I hate all of them, good or bad. She is also very pro man. I should not have a problem with this but her views of women do not sit well in my male mind despite not being particularly modern in my mind-set.

She is very much like her main character in that she writes this book her way despite what others may think which adds an air of authenticity to her works.

To sum up I suggest you get Atlas Shrugged first and see what you think of it, if you like try this if not stay well away.

7 of 10 people found this review helpful

Anonymous

7/12/17

Overall

Performance

Story

"The spirit of mankind"

If you're a confident, self sufficient human being, this book will give you courage to continue being so.

If you're a weakling dependent on others for validation, this book will show you a new way to live.

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

John Colman

UK

6/30/17

Overall

Performance

Story

"Let down by narration"

This recording from 1994 suffers from sound quality issues (heavy compression makes it very bassy) which suits some of the more stoical characters, however, with the exception of Howard Roark, most other male characters sound identical to each other... and to the descriptive narration too!

The story is good, although no masterpiece, but it's the philosophy inherent in the dialogue that makes this book worth reading. It's a fascinating study in human nature and political ideology, notably individualism versus collectivism.

The villains are, of course, the collectivists but the main antagonist is so self-aware and Machiavellian that he was somewhat unbelievable. I remain skeptical that all altruists are as deliberate as he but he certainly served as an archetype of evil in the book.

Randian philosophy is shockingly eye opening and I wish more people were exposed to these arguments irrespective of their political bias.

A great book which might be greatly improved by a fresh recording with a more spirited narrator.

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

M heath

Edinburgh

5/8/17

Overall

Performance

Story

"Classic Vintage Recording"

What did you like most about The Fountainhead?

Howard Roark

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Fountainhead?

The general attitude of the main character and how he carries himself in almost any situation.

Any additional comments?

I return to this every now and then for a refresher and to help bolster my feelings of independence if the are fading.

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

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